Bane
by SkullOfRoses
Summary: There was a long drawn out silence before Headmaster Dumbledore cleared his throat and asked, "Miss Granger, why did you poison yourself?"
1. Chapter 1

Hermione sat in the hospital bed, gripping the crisp white sheets like they were a lifeline. She was surrounded by professors all watching her intently.

Severus Snape gazed at her with a special scrutiny. Every time she coughed or sneezed, he would pinch her cheek or peel back her eyelid, inspecting Hermione for any sign that the antidote had not succeeded. He had complete and utter faith in his brewing prowess, but even the wisest man double checks his work.

There was a long drawn out silence before Headmaster Dumbledore cleared his throat and asked, "Miss Granger, why did you poison yourself?"

His tone was kind and soothing, but there was an edge to it that made her flinch.

Hermione looked away, right into the deep, dark eyes of her Potions Master. He was kneeling by her side in a way that might have been romantic if not for the frown on his lips. It turned into a grimace and in that moment, she knew he had failed in picking through her mind.

"She has a barrier," he said, scowling. "I cannot break it. It is tethered to her very life force."

Hermione spoke then, unable to stay silent.

"I had a dream," she said. Tears were falling down her ashen cheeks and slipping off her chin. "He spoke to me."

"Who, my dear?" Minerva murmured affectionately, though her eyes showed the fear inside.

"You-know-Who." She could have said his name, but she knew it hurt for the potions professor to hear it. She didn't want to hurt anyone.

The adults were silent as they absorbed her words. Severus turned to Hermione.

"What did he say?" His voice was hard and cold and made her want to draw away from the man.

"He wanted me with him. He wanted me at his side. He said I may refuse, but I must…" she gestured to the empty bottle of Weedosoros on the bedside table. "Drink."

She put her head in her hands, burying her guilty face. "Why was I so foolish?"

"Miss Granger." She felt a cold hand touch her wrist, making her shiver. "May I look at your arm?"

She nodded and peeked through her fingers as the professor rolled up the flowing sleeve of her nightgown.

Everyone else's faces showed shock and repulsion, but Severus' expression did not change as he touched the raw and bloody Dark Mark carved into her forearm with a surprisingly gentle hand.


	2. Chapter 2

Severus stared at the bottle of wine for a moment in the dim light of the fireplace. It was some type of Pinot Noir, gifted to him by Dumbledore after a particularly difficult night.

Severus still remembered drinking it with a quivering hand after cleansing himself of the blood and gore from an innocent child who had (in the Dark Lord's opinion) unfortunate parentage. Severus hadn't even been able to taste it.

Severus took a swig now, straight from the bottle. Though it was decent, he would much prefer a strong glass of brandy. Alas, his head needed to be clear.

Grabbing the bottle of Calming Draught from his top shelf, Severus walked over to the fire and leaned against one of the large armchairs facing it.

Hermione was staring listlessly into the fire, her eyes reflecting more than just the flames.

"Miss Granger."

* * *

Hermione was startled by his voice, though she really shouldn't have been. She was in his rooms.

Glancing up, Hermione took the potion from his hand and popped the top off with her thumb. A quick, delicate sniff revealed it to be just a simple Calming Draught, and she downed it in one gulp.

After she set it down on the ground next to her feet, she looked up to see Severus sitting in the other chair, fingers laced and eyes burning.

"Are you quite ready to begin?"

She felt her stomach flip at the thought of letting him peer around her mind (and the physical contact the exercise required). Her worry was already being numbed by the potion, but she was exhausted and frightened nonetheless.

"I suppose I will never be ready," she said, extending her hand. The chairs had already been pushed closer together with a spell, so he did not have to stretch to take her hand. He wrapped his fingers around hers hastily.

"The barrier _can_ be broken, but it will take time," he said softly, eyes already distant. "We will not be able to accomplish that tonight."

She nodded, and it began.

* * *

The memories he delved up were little and insignificant.

The taste of the pumpkin juice this morning.

Harry grumbling about homework (Snape made a wry remark there).

The feeling of Crookshanks silky fur.

The jealousy at the sight of Ron and Lavender.

Frustrated but knowledgeable of how late it was, Severus pulled out. Hermione felt weak, disoriented and embarrassed. Professor Snape did not comment on what he had seen, nor did he get up from the chair. He only waved his hand towards the door.

"Minerva will be waiting. She will escort you back to the hospital wing."

Under the assumption that she was excused, Hermione was halfway to standing when his hand shot out and grabbed her arm. Though her sleeve was covering it, you could still tell the mark was there if you were looking for one.

"It is inactive," Snape said, gripping tighter. "If it becomes black, notify me immediately. And whatever you do, never reveal you bear it. Not even to your foolish friends, girl."

Hermione bit her lip but nodded, and he let go of her wrist slowly. No more words were spoken. The woman was eager to escape as quickly as she could, and the man did not argue.

* * *

 **A/N: I had to up the rating. Though this chapter does not warrant it, future chapters will and I didn't want to risk forgetting.**


	3. Chapter 3

"I surmise the poison didn't work?" His voice was cold and laced with venom, but there was a humor there that almost made him sound human.

Hermione leaned forward in her wooden chair. It was far less comfortable than the one in her Potion professor's room.

When she did not reply, Voldemort walked over to Hermione and knelt.

"I see Severus has been picking through your mind," he said softly, grabbing her chin and squeezing just enough to make her wince. "I am surprised you let him do such a... intimate task."

Hermione glared down at him, her cheeks flushed and eyes narrowed.

"He was the only one able to," she said, not bothering to hide her professor's mastery of Legilimency from the Dark Lord. Voldemort already knew.

He laughed and took a step back, slipping his hand into hers.

"Severus is here now. Would you like to see?"

Hermione awoke in her bed in the hospital wing with tears streaming down her cheeks. She was sweaty from her tossing and turning, and she was relieved to see sunlight filtering through the curtains.

She reached a hand up, tugged the curtains open slightly and peered around the wing. It was empty save for a dark figure lying in the bed closest to hers.

Severus had blood dripping from his mouth, and his eyes were screwed shut. He was clutching at his pillow and hacking softly.

Hermione felt the tears start anew as she remembered what Voldemort had shown her, and the young muggle couple who were now nothing more than bodies twisted with agony somewhere on the ground.

She slipped out of her bed and padded over to professor Snape with bare feet, appearing quite angelic in the early morning sun. He cracked open an eye when she rested a hand on his shoulder.

"Did you see?" He whispered, his voice raw as she handed him a glass of water, filling in for Poppy while the matron was sleeping.

Hermione nodded.

He used the last of his strength and slowly placed a hand over Hermione's before slumping over in bed, eyes closed once more. Taking a breath, Hermione stepped away.


	4. Chapter 4

Hermione was walking among her fellow students, closing her eyes as she was pushed along the hallway when her head went fuzzy.

The books that had been cradled in her arms slipped and fell to the ground with a loud noise, and she stared lifelessly at Harry, who had the same twisted expression on his face.

She keeled over before he did, but only because the boy who lived was used to such episodes and had grown rather used to it all.

"Move!" That was Snape's voice, sharp and dangerous as always. He knelt by the girl and put a hand on her thin wrist, feeling to make sure her pulse was as it should be. She took his hands in her own, eyes wide as she stared helplessly at the professor.

"I can feel him."

Her eyes rolled back in her head and she went limp.

* * *

Voldemort was scared, terrified, horrified, whatever word you wanted to use. She could feel it in her very bones as he clutched at her.

"Who did it?" he snarled in her ear, tightening his fingers around her arms and breaking the skin with his sharp fingernails. "Who destroyed the ring?"

"I do not know, Tom," she murmured, gasping when he kissed her neck.

"It becomes even more crucial that we meet in person once more," he breathed, locking eyes with hers. "We must seal the bond so it will be true."

Hermione didn't want him to. She wanted to be free, have this monster out of her head for good so she may rest peacefully again, without waking up and vomiting on the dead of night.

"My dear Severus, he will be perfect." Voldemort back away, letting her go, and she fell to her knees. "But how to convince him? I will find a way, Hermione. Sleep now, rest while you can and enjoy the calm of nothingness."

He withdrew.

* * *

Severus sat next to a student that was very quickly becoming troublesome. He already had to juggle the Dark Lord and Potter, and now it seemed she was under his care as well. Still, a part of him was grateful that he was at her bedside and not in the Headmaster's office, listening again and again to what he must do.

"I do not want to kill him, Hermione," he murmured, dropping his face into his hands.

He glimpsed her expression from between his fingers, watched as her eyelashes fluttered open and brushed away the last remaining tears.

"We are both afraid," said Hermione simply. "You will be summoned soon. Don't waste your time here with me."

Severus steadily ignored her. Withdrawing a book from his pocket, he began to read.


	5. Chapter 5

Severus bowed and scraped like a slave. His pride had long been tossed to the wind, useless in the life of a spy. Voldemort seemed uneasy, stroking Nagini with more gusto than usual, cradling her large head close to his chest.

"I want her here with me."

As much as Severus wished he could pretend not to know who the snake spoke of, the time for faking confusion had long since passed by.

Severus stood and gathered his cloak around his shoulders, hiding a shiver in the folds of fabric. "My Lord, it would be hard for me to ghost her away. There are many watching after her. The Headmaster-"

"Albus will go along with it," Voldemort interrupted calmly. "His concern is the Potter boy, not Hermione. But as the days drag by it becomes crucial that I solidify the bond. Right now it is a mere shadow of what it should be. Both I and the girl suffer for it."

He knew how to toy with the Potions Master. Severus' eyes flickered with uncertainty and unhappiness. He didn't have the faintest idea how or why the bond between Granger and Voldemort was formed. This was not a good position to be in.

"I will try to convince her," Severus bowed.

"Ah, Severus...You will not need to."

* * *

Hermione was sitting primly on a bench out in the courtyard, reading peacefully. No other students were out as it was far too cold, but Hermione found that such trivial discomfort did not bother her anymore. She spotted a pair of pure black boots in the snow and looked up to meet eyes with Snape.

"It's time, isn't it," said Hermione, calmly closing her book, tucking it under her arm and standing. She was wearing a light gray cloak, the hood resting upon the crown of her head. She was dressed for travel, and travel she would.

Severus felt dread settled into the pit of his stomach. Had she already been driven mad by the nightmares? Had Voldemort already seduced her with his sharp tongue?

Severus, in a strange and unusual act of fear, grasped both her icy hands. Their fingers entwined.

"You do not have to do this, Miss Granger," he murmured. "I could find a way to keep you here."

Hermione laughed lightly but it held no mirth and there were tears sparkling in her eyes. "And risk you or Harry being harmed? No, I will not allow it. It would be better if I went along with his plan for now."

She was determined. Severus sighed and hooked her arm around his own, hiding the wince at the way she trembled. Turning, he led her gently from the courtyard, and out to the grounds. They walked for a long time in silence before finally stopping.

"I do not know what this visit will entail," Severus warned, right on the edge of being able to apparate. "There may be pain and it may be unbearable."

She smiled weakly. "People are dying, professor. I want to help the cause. I want to protect my friends."

She grabbed his hand in a way that hinted he was a part of those she wished to keep safe.

They vanished.


End file.
